Surveillance theories

• Surveillance theories have influenced 2 major crime policies:

  1. CCTV
  2. Profiling
• CCTV:

  • a surveillance system in which prison guards can observe inmates without them knowing.
  • there have been arguments that suggest that this makes prisoners monitor and regulate their own behaviour
  • limitation: it often leads to stereotyping as CCTV operators have been found to be using racist stereotypes, particularly singling out black youths
  • strength: reassures the public that there is a form of protection
• Profiling:

  • involves using data to draw up a statistical picture of likely offenders
  • often uses official crime statistics to make conclusions
  • limitation: can be discriminatory as a profile based on official crime statistics may show that certain groups are more likely to offend, this can create a self-fulfilling prophecy